Sabah amends rules on donations after public complaints

 

Medical supplies from the Charities Aid Foundation sent by Mercy Malaysia to the Kunak district health office on Tuesday. (Facebook pic)

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has back-tracked on its decision compelling donors to notify the deputy state secretary office before handing out their contributions.

Local government and housing minister Masidi Manjun said donors will now only need to communicate directly with the respective district welfare officers in order to distribute their assistance.

Masidi, who is Sabah’s official Covid-19 spokesman, said this decision was taken by the state disaster management committee after various complaints from the public following the government’s announcement of new rules concerning people intending to make donations earlier.

“Our intentions to introduce the SOPs were not to make it difficult for people to channel donations but more towards ensuring the health and safety of donors are not compromised,” he said during his Covid-19 briefing today.

He said only the health department and district offices would know high-risk areas.

“That is exactly the reason we were insistent on certain procedures to be followed, so that you come with your donations and you go back without any possibility of being infected.

“The health of donors are our top consideration when introducing the SOPs and it is not to block any effort or as if making it look like the contributions must come through the government.”

Masidi said, however, the same rules apply for out-of-town donors as they would still need to apply for a special approval from the state before they can enter Sabah to hand over their assistance.

Yesterday, Masidi announced that all private organisations and companies, community leaders and individuals must inform the deputy state secretary’s office first before they could distribute their contributions.

Distribution of donations or assistance without the knowledge of the deputy state secretary’s office or the respective district disaster operations control centres were to be prohibited.

Masidi also announced the state government has today agreed to allow the re-opening of taska, or childcare centres, that are registered with the state welfare services department.

He said the Sabah Islamic Affairs Department will also permit nikah (marriages) and divorce to be carried out at its office three times a week from Nov 16 to Dec 12 or for any duration of the conditional movement control order period. - FMT